Glassware spacing device



Sept, 30, 1952 H. A. YOUKERS GLASSWARE SPACING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1946 flTToRA/EKS.

Sept. 30, 1952 H. A. YOUKERS GLASSWARE SPACING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1946 p 1952 H. A. YOUKERS 2,612,256

GLASSWARE SPACING DEVICE Filed Nov. 9, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 2 eta'sswAnr i gsizino nnvroe 2 J H 2 I.

half to, Henry G. Daubenspeck, Massillon, "Ohio, i and one-half to Samuel Winder; Washington, Pa.

.ApplicationNovemher 9, .SfitialfNoJOSgfiB? "13C1ainis. (Cl. 198- 31) -take-out. mechanism. Conventionally, the .Io'rming machine makes the ware continually .over a longmeriod of time, one item at a time, and de- Llivers the items successively to the take-out machinawhichtake-out machine thenremoves the items from :the lforming :machine and deposits them in succession on a conveyor that moves across .thetrelease point of the take-out machine.

'of ware to adjacent :an annealing lehr. Annealing lehrs conventionally consist of {greatly elongated ovens having controlled heat conditions :therein, through which relatively wide belts move Between the mm at relatively veryslow speeds. veyer and the lehr belts,-there-are the so-called lehr stacking or lehr loading devices,rwhich take "-theitems 01E ware delivered by the conveyer-and "transfer them to the .-slow moving lehr belt.

. 1Manylehr loaders consistof movable members that operate :to take the ware intermittently from the conveyer, item by item,-and displace it over to a suitable point on the 'annealing lehr-belt. 'U'sually,also, these stackers spread the items of 'ware'a'cross'the lehr'belt, which is made considerably wider than the conveyor-belt, whereby items delivered in *rapidsuc'cession to the stackers mayb'eall disposed upon the slow moving .lehr belt, and many items of ware-may beannealed at *the same time.

While there are many different kinds of lehr loaders or stackers, for convenience,.the present case will be described in-connection withthe type ot stacker having two swinging v.headsor arms "that move down to theconveyer, grip-the ware items, and then "swing "them-over to suitable places across the slow moving lehr-belt.

Such stacker arm that move down to engage the ware to lift it off of the conveyer belt require 'a-icertain amount'of time for the operations of :moving into position,: taking up the 'ware and :moving-thewareofi 'of'the belt. It isone object 'of this invention to provide a spaceradevice that 'will'space the items of ware along the conveyer,

The conveying mechanismthen carries the items so "that they wi'llnotcrowd toolc'losely together to permit the necessary ifime-required'i'or each stacker arm to pick up apiece oi ware .get it out of the way before a -subsequent"ftem- 1oi ware approaches too closely;

A particular object ofthis' lnvention is' to provide a spacer means that delays at-least every "other item of ware moving successively aailo'ng a conveyer belt, so that the items of ware inadvanoe thereof may "be removed by"the' sta2cker mechanism and be out 01 the way beiore -the retarded item of ware rea'chesflthe stacker mechanism.

A'particular object 'oif the iinventirmis-rto prbvide a spacingdevice for use'withaiidouble stacker, which slows down every iotherfzitemiof 'ware on a continuously 'moving 'conveyer, soc-that the wareis introduced into thedoublestaoker with sufficient interval between'successivepairs of glassware items to prevent mterferencei' zbetween ware being transferred'by the stackers' 'and ware-approaching on the conveyer'to be subse quentlytransferred by the-'stackers. J P I A further object of the invention :istopitoxiide such a retarding means for certain items ofaware on a conveyer that will not upset the-warevand tend to cause 'itto fall'from the-conveyer.

particular, it is an object of the invention to provide retarding means'that applies a retarding action to the ware that acts in 'a -gradualmanner to avoid rebound of'the ware. 1

A further object oi the finventi'oniis'rto :provide .a retarding means of the 'f'oregoing kind which is synchronized with certain operating mechanism, and particularly with the glass making "machinery, *so that the ware will "be properly spaced as aforesaid along the conveyer.

Specifically, it is an object-of theinvention to provide a blocking means across the conveye which blocking means "is positioned" to be engaged by "oncoming ware, and to retard thetravel of the same with the conveyer for I a period 03E 1 time that is determined by the operationof'the glass making machinery, and then to remove the "ob- .structing means to permit the ware-to :ftrav'elvin the thus 'retardedposition to the "lehr-loading mechanism.

. A further object of the Othersobjects or .tliis'iinvention ,w'illappear as the description iollows. I

inventioniis'fto provide a retarding .means of this "kind that is t'imedfiso In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a ware take-out mechanism showing the disposition of the conveyer in association therewith;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the con veyer, with-thespacing means associated therewith, the latter being broken away in parts;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2, looking from the bottom of Fig. 2; 1

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the end of the conveyer, taken from the side opposite that in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a portion 7 of the conveyer mechanism in. advance of the stacker gates, and taken on the line 5-"-5of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the fluid pressure actuating mechanism for the spacer, taken on the line 6-6 at the lower part of Fig. 3; and

"Figz-j'l isagdiagrarn-matic view of the conveyer andspacermechanism. w

This spacermechanism is shownin connec- .tionewith-a take-out machine that-is illustrated in a copending application of SamuelE. Winder -forrTake-Out-Mechanism, Serial No, 780,012, yfiled September 28, 1946. "iThis take-out mechanism includes ,a rotat- 'ing. iframework .Hl-having a plurality of take.- raout'zfdevicesx mounted radially thereon and inoved about a central axis l2 that may be syn- 'chronizedin' its movement with-the rotation of the glass forming machine, such as that shown wing. the;' copending application of Samuel E.

arcuate in shape, so that the bottles, as they meet it, are deflected without abruptness and moved to the right side of the conveyer. Owing to the speed of the conveyer, an abrupt defiection might upset the ware.

Deflector and retarding. means ar-e disposed across the conveyer. These comprise two gate devices 33 and 34. The gate 33 includes a plate 35 attached to a swinging arm or wing 36 that is secured by setscrews 38 to a vertical pin 31,

to oscillate therewith. The rock shaft 31 is supported in a bearing bracket 4!) that is bolted to the side 23 oflthe frame. The shaft 31 projects below the side 23 of the frame and has a crank 4| attached toits lower end by setscrews 42. The crank 4| has a projecting arm 43, particularly shown in Fig. 6, that is pivoted at 44 to -Win'der, Serial vNo. 688,470, filed August 5, 1946,

-fOl'aBOtt16. Forming Machine. It will-be under- .ivstoodthat; the invention of the present applicawtionimay be used with other take-out devices and forming machines but it has particular appli- 'cationain connection. with those mentioned.

:JOneset; of molds is shown at l3 in dotted mes in Fig. ,-1.; The take-out machine takesin dividual itemsgofe' hotbut completely formed =;-:'*g'lassware ifrom'theopen molds l3, lifts each, a-"movesit; a'rcuatelyandlowers it to place it as shown at:Fi-in:F ig. .1. It will be understood that "thejaws-mfthe take-out devices close over the "aware to engage it asit is'disposed on the bottom ;,plate of.the':=mol ds |2,.remain closed until they have brought the-ware to the conveyer, and then they re-open to release itonto the conveyer. The-conveyer isqhere shown inthe form of a i belt, generally indicated at 20. This belt is 5 supported upon a conveyer frame. generally arernovable cylinder head 58.

'of parts.

removable.

to it by sets'c'rews 51. This crank has a projecting arm '53 that is pivotally' attached at 59 to:

a link 69. This link; in turn, is pivoted at 6| to the crosshead 4'1. These pivots are likewise The crosshead isactuated by a fluid piston.

To this end; it is attached as shown in'Fig.

6 toa piston rod 64 extending from a piston 65 supported in a cylinder fifi. A suitable packing gland 6'! may be provided for the passage of thejpiston rod 65 through the end of the cylinder. The other end of the cylinder 66 is closed by The cylinder is secured to the bottom of the -frame by an elongated bed member 58, in the form of a channel section. This bed member 69 is bolted tothe I sides of the main frame 2|. and extends across --designated:at 2 that may be in the form of an J inverted channel element 22, having a top Wall with depending sidewalls 23 and 24. Suitable the bottom of the frame. The cylinder is bolted to this bed 69'.

Two pressure lines connect into opposite ends of the cylinder. One pressure line Ill leads through the center'of the cylinder head 63 and the other pressure line H leads into the opposite end of the cylinder;

From the foregoing, it may be seen that, when the piston 65 "is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6. the crosshead will be to the left and the two crank arms 43 and 58 will be drawn leftr .legs 25 support the frame 2| at a desired eleva- 111911.; The aframe has end brackets 25 support- 'ingwendxrollers 2'1 and 28, over which the belt 20 passes and ,bywhich it is driven. 'Its speed :isjcoordinated with the speed of. rotation of the shaft-l2-of :the ;take-0ut machine,.so that it will withdraw bottles ,.|5. from the open take- ,uout devices H as the same rotates counterward. When the piston moves to the right, the

' crosshead 47- will be moved to the right, and this will ultimately'rock the two gates 33 and 34 to positions where they are not across the 3 conveyer belt 20. 1

The operation of the piston is controlled through a valve, generally designated at 15. This 65 valve includes a valve cylinder T! bolted at 19 to clockwise in- Fig. 1. As showninFig. 2, a series of bottles A, B, C", D, E and F have been deposited .-from the take-out machine onto the .conveyer belt. As shown by the bottles D, E and the side 23 of the frame. The valve cylinder TI receives twocylinder heads 34 and 85.

A constant source of compressed air is intro- F,.-on the left part of, the conveyer, the takespaced along meter."

duced by a line 86 to the middle of the valve cylinder 11." The lines 18 and 1| from the cylinder 65 are connected into the'valve cylinder on out machine causes the bottles to .be evenly 70 As the bottles progress from left to right in Figs. ,2. and 7,:they are first caused to strike a deflector bar 30 supported in brackets 3| on the side 24 of the frame. This deflector bar is opposite sides of the air intake 86, and about half-way between it and the ends of the cylinder.

Outwardly' in each direction from the two working lines 10 and 7| are two exhaust ports 81 and fiiianuaHyL loperation alternately riser2:256

"Th twoai'rlin'es is o and 91 fasfshowiiinwigffl, are connected to the rotary fiair line'timingwalve ,rmecnamsm 95' "on'i'th'e feed'enflflt "will "be understood"by those familiarwithftliis'art' that'fg lass .i'teedersj are conventionallyicohtrolledi'rineumati- 4 f'cally. Typical {glass "feeders have a ioreheairth "with an orifice" in its "bottom, 'abovewhich 'orifice ithere is afpliinger. When"thejplun'geris forcedto L'de s'cend above the orifice, it iext'rudesfa icertain .gq'uafitit'y'df g'lassihrou'gh "the orificefwhich is 'iifthereby. suspended above a"char'g'ing chute that leads to ai'rnold on ithe 1' forming machine. 'Ihis charge or. gob 'dfklassiissevered by shears; that .are operated in timed relation with Lthe plunger; ,..1f-ter'1 'lthe ehearing operation; the ,Lphinger' ..is

l. "'iisedito. rise agaimidrawing the proj cting stub i. ihe' forebi'ng cycle dr'operanoms tim'edb'y a .ii'al've .meehanism that alternately applies '.difi"erefitiaLpneumaticpressure to opposite sides of a j iisto'n on" lthe plunger and alternately applies .pn'eumatic. pressure to opposite. sides of 'a' ,ii'is'ton ;that operates .the, shears. .It will\'a1so be understood, by 'those skille'dinthearft, Ithat'this timer ,properlyscoordinates these operations .to get the desired :shape iofrg'l-ass', .an'd performs the'opera- .tions .atltiniefifitervals"that are coordinated with .lthespeediof theformingmachinei "Thetake-out Ljmachine is llikewise coordinated with Lthesped -bf thellforming .machinaian'd the .conveyor belt 1.61 the i'prese'nt 7 application is driven at aspeed l'that is proper-ifor-ithe rotaryspeedtotthe .takeeout '.machine. The iore going will show lthat lthe dis- ...bosition f .tthe lseveral Lbottles along the con- .weyori n is keyed to .t-hespeed' of-operation ef the -lfee'dingmechanism. Hence, diagrammatically, it ..may be ,indicated in. Fig. f7 that the 4 rotary hair .;.lineltizningvalve mechanism aireceives ainprea isuredromflalsource afiand, by .timing .means such 'fla s-anoperating: shaft 91 in time withthe feeding delivers puffs of air pressure toithe lines kifl i and. 91 that lead to the. valve J5. 'need not; beadescribediin-detaiL. p r.

. :At the end'iof .the conveyor,.a stopmemberc98 having two I curved stops-:99 and l 00 receives .the bottles-ofseachqpair= and holds them against/furl-ther movement. it is attached to the frame 2|. The shape of the cups is such that-bottles engage themiin-ea g-ma nner not -:to .be .thrown off --the belt. They .arelheld .foi sengagement by the stacker :armsr- FI-hese (arms-i are'iillustrated =dia- .aOpemtion in v The"? time interval hetweenjsuccessive*bbttles slide valveelement .As this -.mechan ism -95-is-conven-tiona1, it

-"-the ssme asithe interval eetweerr s'uccesiswe charges or glass' delivered by the ieeder: Hi -tor '=-examf le,the warexsuch' as the bottlesilliiStrated,

"-fis being' produced at=the rate or sixty per minute, the timeinterval between successive hottles he second.

ci'ally when --op'erating at the 51 speeds "to "stacking; i. 'e.,' stacking bytwo stackerarr'ns across h s *already mentioned; the lehr stackers' -a wide lehr-'belt,"require morethan one secon'd to move into position adjacent a "bottle, grasp the same; and" remove it, to-continu'e with thefig iires used for illustration. Thismeans that; th

"'jbottles come up at one-second intervalsg-the -stacker will not'have *removed one bothers-om the path of "an oncoming "subsequent 'bottle iin timeto "prevent the subsequent -bottl'eiroin strikingthe-oneyand being knocked over.

' Thepresent'invention is-d'es'igned f-stacker in pairs, which" pairs are-' spaced "apart )by adequate time intervals. "The bottles are stacke'din pairs 'by a double stacker. The mechanism performs thismpe'ramen "as follows Each bottle is loaded onto the 'conveyer the arrow.

substantially at the position of the bottleFj'in Fig.--7. The conveyor moves in 'the direction- 6f Each bottle strikes the 'arc'u'atedeu 'conveyer, 1 as shown by the dttedline positions I of t he bottle in' Fig. 7 andthe-suhsequentposition occupied by the bottle E in that figure." P'his -clispos es'all 'o'f-"the bottles on the ri'ght side "of the "conveyerqwhich is the lower side in Fig. "7'. j

-As one "bottle, such as the "bottle moving down the conveyer on the right side thereof,

strikes the deflector "gate 33, it; will "be heldfha'ck While the conv'eyer moves 'on. The'movenient of the conveyer will'cause this bottle'filfto de- "flected across the conveyerjhyjthe angular diewhereit engages in 'the'c'orner between the gates 133'a11d34. At this poiii'h'it will b'e'retained until "the proper'release.time. I

"In the, meanwhile," the "bottle 1), -as Fig. 2, approaches and moves approximateiyjifito :contactwith'the :gate33. In ample time to prevent the bottleD from comingfintocontactwith the battle "E, to which it fmi'ghtstick because-of "thetemperature "of the glass, fboth. gates are "opened "so that the bottles. may then move as "a pair with' the conveyer, as shown "by "the pair AandB.

The gate operationis ti "edbyfthefrotary air line timing valvemechanism"95, which is op er- "ated to .conne'ct'the air pressure line "96 to the,

"lines 90 and SI. TvVhenfthejValYeQZfisfat the left, the gates-are closed, "owing' to the fp'orting ofthe'ainlin'e "86 to the working line H to move the "piston tothe left. At 'a' pre'determinedtime 5frelatively "to the feeder "and 'fornfiing machine operationaantl hence 'to the "delivery-oi ware to the conveyer', the rotary timer .195 delivers'a "puff 'of "air "to the line '9D,"W1 'l i' 0h displaces the "valve 92 -totherig'ht end of the cylinder. 'Ihis connects 'th'fworking 'line 10' to the air supply T86 anditheworking line "H 'to 'exhaust, wherefup'on the piston mDVeS "outwardly opening 'the gates and permitting thewa'reto bedrawnpa'st '75 air delivery' wine valve 15,? ahr1' %-riildses' the them. Thereafter the rotarytimer revefses the totajk-e ware I advancing "at intervals shorter than what -may r atesa The bottles, suc

has the=bottles C and D,

,that, were re-spaced by the gates, proceed with 'the conveyer occupying P sitions corresponding to the positions of the bottle pair A and B that have already moved beyond the gates, These bottle pairs then proceed to the end of the conveyer, where they may reach the cup-shaped These holders are shaped This prevents If the gate were not at such anangle, but were,

for example, squarely across the conveyer, an oncoming bottle striking the gate'would tend to bounce oil? and might be thrown from the convveyer. The present arrangement causes a more gradual action against the leading bottle, which is such as to preventitsbeing bounced from the conveyer. Also, when such a bottle as the bottle C engages in the anglebetween the two gates,

it is securely held against lateral deflection off of the conveyer.

"I 'hedefiector 30 causes the bottles initially to pass down the right side of the belt. This permits the bottles that engage the gate 33 to be retarded more gradually because the halting action takes place down the length of the gate 33. Also, itinsures that the subsequent bottle, such as the bottle D, has less likelihood of actually engagin -.the'bottle C. V l

' Promptly after a pair ,of bottles'has cleared the path of the gates 33 and 34, the rotary air line timing valve mechanism 92 reverses the conditions applied to the valve, 75, which is in turn reversed bythe application ofjcompressed air to the lines-i and theconnection of the line 90 to exhaust. 'As the valve 15 is thus subjected to reverse pressure conditions, it moves back to the, left hand position shown in Fig. 2, in which ,thei-line ,H is then connected to compressed air .and the line toexhaust through the line 88.

The piston 65 moves back to the left, closing the gates before, the subsequent bottle E' reaches them. e

The foregoing mechanism is thus capable of vobtaining its objectives, the primary one of which istos'ojspa ce bottles moving relatively rapidly,

for at s ac ng intervals that are relatively short, so, thatithe lehr loader can properly remove one bottle before a-subsequent one would strike the same. What is claimed is:

l. A device for use with a movingconveyer .having a plurality of objects supported thereon I at spaced intervals to group the articles on the conveyer, comprising movable means engageable by articles moving on the conveyer to retard 'movement ofthe articles, and means to position C themovable meansv across the conveyer at predetermined intervals whereby the movable means engages selected ones of the articles to retard said selected ones relative to those adjacent while the conveyer continues ,to operate, and means thereafter to remove said movable means from thepath of. the articles at substantially the time .a s'ubsequentitem arrives at the movable means [sothat thelarticle may thereafter travel at the .samlerate.

, I 2 IA, grouping device ror use with a moving conitems, said grouping device comprising a grouping .means positionable to engage selected items on the conveyer to retard movement of each selected. item so engaged while the conveyor continues to operate, and thereby increase the time interval between said item and the one ahead of it to an amount greater than said Jclearance period,

and-means to operate said grouping meansinto and out of grouping position, including means to control said time intervalto cause the grouping means to move to'position to retard one item and then to withdraw at substantially the time a subsequent item reaches it- 3. A spacing device for glassware produeedby a glassware machine producing glass articlesat a predetermined rate, comprising a moving conveyer upon which-the articles are successively placed, a base, a deflector to dispose all of the articles toward one side of the conveyor, ate

,,means comprising two gate members mounted -pivotally on the base on opposite sides of the conveyer, said gates extending across the conveyer at angles forming a V opening toward oncoming articles, the gate member on the side to which the articles were deflected being long enough to deflect them to the other side of the conveyer, means 1 for pivoting the gate members to withdraw them from the conveyer including power means on the base, and control means interconnected'with the glassware machine for operating the power means at spaced intervals so that the gate members retard every other article for a predetermined period, and means in the control means to operate the power means to withdraw the gate members prior to the colliding of a subsequent article with the one retarded.

4. A spacing device for glassware produced by a glassware machine producing glass articles at a predetermined rate, comprising a moving conveyer upon which the articles are successively p1aced, a base, a deflector to dispose all ofgthe articles toward one side of the conveyer, gate means comprising two gate members mounted pivotally on the base on opposite sides of the conveyer, said gates extending across the conveyer at angles forming a V opening toward oncoming articles, the gate member on the side to which the articles were deflected being long enough to deflect them to the other side of the conveyer, means for pivoting the gate members to withdraw them from, the conveyer including power means on the base, and control mechanism interconnected with the glassware machine for operating the power means at spaced intervals so that the gate members retard every other article for a predetermined period, and means in the control mechanism to operate the power means to withdraw the gate members prior to the time a subsequent article has engaged the long gate and moved to said other side of' the conveyer.

5. An apparatus for grouping articles traveling single file in a predetermined line on a conveyer, so that they will travel in laterally spaced groups,

comprising an obstruction, means positioning the obstruction in the path of the travelingarticles, said means being adapted to withdraw the obstruction from the said path, to permit the articles to move with the conveyer, said obstruction comprising a deflector engageable by articles n the conveyer, the deflectoir -jzextending from; thet pflitln of ,"travel of, the articles -,tc;;a; positionilatenally'fof vsaidipath to displace articles; on thereon v yerztcsuchi er l position a d-t rd t e r forward: mov m nt. and m 1 g;.;means temp ateithe pqsitioningmeans 1 disposethe obstruce tionzacrossxthe conveyer at intervals larger-@tharr;

the interval betweemsuccessivp articles on the conveyer, to groupthe'*desire'd'number of bottles,

said timing-means beingtadapted to holdgzthe:

it laterally from said path of travel, timed means i to move the obstruction, said timed means being adapted to introduce the obstruction to position across the conveyer and to hold it there until a predetermined number of articles have been laterally displaced, thereby forming a group, and then to withdraw the obstruction to permit said articles of said group to be conveyed, and finally to return to position across the conveyer to estab-- lish another group.

7. An apparatus for grouping articles traveling single file in a predetermined line on a conveyer, so that they will travel in laterally spaced roups, comprising a deflecting obstruction, means positioning the obstruction across the conveyer in the path of travel of the articles, the obstruction being shaped to displace articles moved against it laterally from said path of travel, timed means to position the obstruction across the conveyer to be engaged by articles thereon, said timed means being adapted to maintain the obstruction in such position until at least one article has been laterally displaced, and then to withdraw the obstruction until said article and at least one other article have passed the obstruction, and said timed means having mechanism to repeat the foregoing operations in cycles.

8. An apparatus for grouping articles traveling single file in a predetermined line on a conveyer, so that they will travel in laterally spaced groups, comprising a deflecting obstruction, means positioning the obstruction across the conveyer in the path of travel of the articles, the obstruction being shaped to displace articles moved against it laterally from said path of travel, timed means to move the obstruction, said timed means being adapted to introduce the obstruction to position across the conveyer and to hold it there until a predetermined number of articles have been laterally displaced, thereby forming a group, and

then to withdraw the obstruction to permit said articles of said group to be conveyed, and finally to return to position across the conveyer to establish another group, the shape of said obstruction comprising a slope in the direction of movement of the conveyer and laterally thereof.

9. An apparatus for grouping articles traveling single file in a, predetermined line on a conveyer,

laterally r -sa d ati 3 mmt me =l ieeng e-- to move the obstruction, said timed meanszbfeinggi, adaptedq-to introduce the-obstruction to position across the conveyer and to hold it there until a predetermined number of'iarticlesyhave, been lat-' erally displaced, thereby forming a roup, and then to withdraw the obstruction opermit said, articles of said group to be conveyed; andflnally to return to position across the conlveyer to estab lish another group, and an-eabutment tolirnih. lat-eral movement of articles displaced b teneened ctio l. i r

10. An apparatus for grouping articles traveling single file in a predetermined line on a conveyer, so that they will travel in laterally spaced groups, comprising a deflecting obstruction, means positioning the obstruction across the conveyer in the path of travel of the articles, the obstruction being shaped to displace articles moved against it laterally from said path of travel, timed means to move the obstruction, said timed means being adapted to introduce the obstruction to position across the conveyer and to hold it there until a predetermined number of articles have been laterally displaced, thereby forming a group, and then to withdraw the obstruction to permit said articles of said group to be conveyed, and finally to return to position across the conveyer to establish another group, and an abutment to limit lateral movement of articles displaced by the first-named obstruction, said abutment comprising a second movable obstruction forming a V with the first obstruction, and movable therewith.

11. In combination, a movable conveyer adapted to receive articles in predetermined space intervals and to convey the same in a predetermined path, grouping means comprising an obstruction positioned across the conveyer in said path, the obstruction being shaped to deflect articles from said path to a position laterally thereof and to retard advance thereof when the articles engage it during travel on the conveyer, timed means to hold the obstruction across the conveyer and retard advance of the deflected article until at least one article has been laterally displaced and retarded, and then to withdraw it until said laterally deflected article and at least one additional article have passed it.

12. An apparatus for obtaining two departing linear series of articles on a conveyer from a single approaching line of articles, comprising a deflector, means positioning the deflector across the conveyer in the path of the approaching articles, the deflector being shaped to displace articles urged against it by the conveyer, laterally, and to retard advance thereof, timing means holding the positioning means across the conveyer until one article has been laterally disso that they will travel in laterally spaced groups,

placed and retarded, and then to withdraw it until said article and one other article has been moved past the conveyer.

13. An apparatus for obtaining two departing linear series of articles on a conveyer from a single approaching line of articles, comprising a deflector, means positioning the deflector across the conveyer in the path of the approaching articles, the deflector being shaped to displace articles urged against it by the conveyer, laterally, and to retard advance thereof, timing means holding the positioning means across the conveyer until one article has been laterally displaced and retarded, and then to withdraw it until said article and oneother article has been moved past the conveyer, and means to position tlre' epbrdaching erticles in a. single line on the Number V conveyer. r 1,579,545 HAROLD A. YOUKERSJ 2,047,406

' 2,059,177 I REFERENCES CITED 5 2,273,509 Thev following references are of record in the ,350,479 e e 2 4s n 5111M UNITED STATES PATENTS Nuinber Name Date Number 1,292,178 Waterman Jan. 21, 1919 1 1,427,325 Q1110]; 1 Aug. 29, 1922 12* i Name 1 I Date T f,v Langsdo'r'f Apr. 6, 1926 co'pping July 14,1936: Ohrn Oct. 27, 1936 Braren Feb. 17, 1942 Stewart June 6, 1944 Lowe 1 Oct. 12,1948

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France June 7, 1937 

